‘Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award’ for Service to Children Announced

The winners of the “Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award for Service to Children” for 2011 have been announced by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. These are

1. Shri R. Ravi Kumar,
President Sri Gayatri Welfare and Cultural Youth Academy, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh

2. Swami Japananda,
Chairman Swami Vivekananda IRHC, Pavagada, Karnataka

3. Shri N. Thungdemo Kikon,
Founder Secretary, Wondang-Ki-Charitable Foundation, Dimapur, Nagaland

Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award is conferred on three individuals who make outstanding contribution in the field of Child Protection, Child Development or Child Welfare for over ten years. The Award carries a cash prize of Rupees One lakh and a citation to each awardee. The selection for the award is made each year by a National Selection Committee, from the candidates recommended by the State governments

The National Selection Committee is chaired by the Minister for Women and Child Development. The Secretary, WCD is member and Jt. Secretary (VJ), WCD is the member secretary. The committee has representatives from ministries of social justice, health, HRD (Dept. of elementary education) and from the Delhi School of Social Science. Representative from Indian child welfare council, an NGO, is also on the selection committee.

In pursuance of the Government of India’s policy to support and promote voluntary action in the area of Child Development/Welfare, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India instituted the “Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award for Service to Children” in 1994 to honour individuals who have made outstanding contribution towards the cause of children. The Award was instituted on 20th August, 1994, the 50th Birth Anniversary of the late Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi who had deep love and concern for children.